The Technical Adviser of El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri on Wednesday reached a milestone of managing a total number of 100 NPFL games and described the journey as a mixed bag of challenges ans successes, Sports247 reports.
He clocked the milestones in El-kanemi Warriors, narrow 2-1 loss to Kano Pillars at the Sanni Abacha Stadium on Wednesday.
A personal record that comes with a lot of fulfilment, Aliyu’s NPFL journey, which officially began as the Technical Adviser of Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in the 2018/2019 Abridged season has been quite eventful and memorable.
Aliyu, after handling Wikki Tourists for a season left for Gombe United and promoted the team to NPFL. He later managed Gombe United in the NPFL for two seasons(2021/2022 and 2022/2023 abridged) before joining Elkanemi Warriors.
It’s his first NPFL season as the handler of Maiduguri based side having promoted them to NPFL last year from the NNL.
In total, Coach Zubairu has handled 100 NPFL games across three teams- recorded 36 wins, 28 draws and 37 losses. He has also in the process secured 136 points, scored 92 goals and conceded 106 goals.
Aliyu Zubairu: Mr. stability and father of young players
Aliyu’s NPFL journey, as the unpredictability of life cycle will have it has been laced with many ups and downs. Despite the seemingly environmental challenges, the Ilorin-born gaffer has held on to his values of hardwork, commitment and integrity.
Known to be an ethical coach and a devoted Muslim, Aliyu has also been nicknamed Mr. stability for delivering stability and the best of results for teams with relatively low spending budget.
Apart from helping the clubs beat the drop, he is also admired for setting up a solid structure which allows the team to function effectively even in his absence. Evident to this was how Gombe United relegated from the NPFL following his exit from the club.
He has also been tagged the advocate and father for the young players for always promoting footballers of young age and infusing them into his team, even when other NPFL coaches continue to parade older players in their team.
The Coach had promoted countless of young players and have made super stars, and to him “your understanding of the game is your age”.
While reacting to the milestone however, he noted that his journey has been a mixed bag of challenges and successes.
” My journey in the Premier League has not been easy. If you look at my track records, I started with the Wikki Tourists of Bauchi in an abridged league, which was difficult.”
He further said “Being a beginner, all the doubting thomases were thinking that a starting with a team like Wikki Tourists was something huge, but Before then, I had understudied a lot of coaches, so if I couldn’t handle a team myself, certainly there’s no need for me being in a coaching arena coaching arena- But I prove many people wrong I was able to sustain the team.
The tactician added that reaching 100 NPFL league game as a coach is very important to him “It’s very important to me and I must say my journey has also been largely successful considering all the challenges”
Speaking further, he noted the level of reckoning he has amassed in the league, adding that his impacts in the game has also added more values to the football ecosystem.
“All the big teams and boys in the league know that anytime they are playing against my team, they know they are meeting a strong side. So, generally i will continue to do our best for the game” he concluded.
For Aliyu Zubairu who is also the Head Coach of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, his NPFL journey has been greatly defined by consistency and commitment, and as such, he is bound to make more significant impacts on the Nigeria Football ecosystem.
